Chapter 1463: Aren't We The Main Force? (Part 3)

"Ah..."

Chengdu was swept away by the Heavenly Comrade Alliance. One-Step Kill (一步一殺) Seokhong (昔鴻), who arrived late after hearing the news, had a grimace on his face.

"This foolish..."

His fingertips trembled involuntarily. Corpses scattered everywhere were not a problem. Such pests could be replenished at any time.

The crucial issue was that the Chengdu they captured were brutally trampled over by the Heavenly Comrade Alliance.

"Leader!"

Survivors from the Myriad Man Manor, who narrowly escaped death, rushed over. Murderous intent returned to Seokhong's eyes.

"Where are they?"

"It... it was a while ago..."

"And the pursuit?"

His subordinates bowed their heads without answering. Seokhong's face twisted in despair.

"Did you not organize a pursuit team? What have you all been doing?"

"Pursuit... was meaningless. The leaders of the sects under the Heavenly Comrade Alliance, including Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword Chung Myung, were present. Even if we pursued, they..."

"Ah..."

Seokhong ground his teeth with a sound. Those who had become limp as if their bones had melted hit the ground.

"So? You gave up on the pursuit, couldn't even stand up against them, and trembled like mice? Is this what the disciples of Myriad Man Manor are?"

"Due to... irresistible force..."

"Irresistible force?"

"But we didn't lose much in terms of wealth. Since their numbers were small..."

"What did you say?"

"Uh?"

Seokhong glared at the one who spoke with a stern face.

"So, they even looted Chengdu's belongings?"

"That... well..."

"Speak up. What happened to the Four Seas Merchant Company? Clearly, the Lord ordered you to monitor them closely!"

The faces of those standing in front turned pale.

"Answer me. What happened to the Four Seas Merchant Company?"

"The... the Heavenly Comrade Alliance.."

"What?"

"The Heavenly Comrade Alliance took them all..."

Pa-ah!

A dagger shot out like lightning, piercing through a person's body. Before they could even scream, blood sprayed out like a fountain.

Seokhong ground his teeth to the point of breaking. Red veins appeared in his eyes.

"These damn Heavenly Comrade Alliance bastards! Ahhh!"

His enraged scream echoed through the streets of Chengdu.

❀ ❀ ❀

Inside a tent that was unbelievably luxurious for something temporary.

Jang Ilso, covered in a robe, stared at Ho Gakmyung sitting on a large chair. Jang Ilso's face, with closed eyes, was clearly frozen. The changes were subtle enough that only Ho Gakmyung could notice.

"Ryeonju-nim..."

Ho Gakmyung broke the silence and opened his mouth.

"We have mobilized as many forces as possible and sent them to Chengdu. We should be able to suppress them soon. Don't be too concerned."

But Ho Gakmyung felt that his own words were quite ridiculous. What difference would it make to gather troops? Those people would surely ravage the city and withdraw before the reinforcements even arrived.

'Damn it.'

Neither Jang Ilso nor Ho Gakmyung were dull. They had considered the possibility that the enemy would attack Chengdu as soon as a vacuum emerged. However, what they did not anticipate was the composition of those who attacked.

'The Heavenly Comrade Alliance.'

Some might not consider them particularly remarkable. They hadn't recaptured Chengdu, and could be seen as intruding an empty house and breaking items.

However, Ho Gakmyung did not see it that way.

The scars they engraved on the Evil Tyrant Alliance while rampaging Chengdu were larger and more lethal than expected.

What difference would it make if the Evil Tyrant Alliance took control of the city?

It wouldn't make the Evil Tyrant Alliance stronger. Nor were they desperately impoverished, needing the resources of the city immediately.

Yet, the fact that sent shockwaves throughout Kangho was evidence that the power of the Evil Tyrant Alliance was strong enough to trample and seize the city and take over Sichuan.

Sometimes, a visible demonstration was more crucial than the actual power. By capturing the Sichuan, the Evil Tyrant Alliance gained significant advantages beyond just destroying Emei, Qingcheng, and Diancang.

However, now, due to the strategy employed by the Heavenly Comrade Alliance, a portion of the tower meticulously built had collapsed miserably.

Those who witnessed them wreak havoc in Chengdu would likely think that while the Evil Tyrant Alliance had the strength to trample over Sichaun, they lacked the power to defend it.

"Hoo."

A sigh escaped from Ho Gakmyung's lips. Now was not the time for such thoughts.

"Ryeonju-nim, if you are concerned, I can lead the troops and visit Chengdu. Then..."

At that moment, Jang Ilso opened the eyes he had closed.

Ho Gakmyung involuntarily flinched. The gaze briefly revealed by Jang Ilso was so cold it could make him, the person who had been with him for the longest time, shiver.

"What's lost is lost. Sing a lament holding onto the dead, and the dead won't come back to life."

Ho Gakmyung also knew this fact well. But...

"Nevertheless, it won't be meaningless."

"Hmm."

A short exhale escaped from Jang Ilso's mouth. It was not the usual light exhale but a heavy and stifling sound.

"Your senses have dulled too, Gakmyung-ah."

"...Yes?"

"We probably lost more than you think when Chengdu was attacked. Both the Ten Great Sects and the Heavenly Comrade Alliance have found their own words through this incident. And those guys are the kind who can exploit that fact as much as they want. A sip of water may not seem so impressive, but if the one who obtained it was dying of thirst, it could change their fate."

Ho Gakmyung's face stiffened. It seemed that Jang Ilso was taking this situation more seriously than he had anticipated.

"If that's the case, Ryeonju-nim, we should..."

"But!"

At that moment, a strong and resolute voice burst from Jang Ilso's mouth. It was a chilling voice that could send shivers down the spine.

"If you lose something, you can find it again. That's not what's important. There's something truly crucial."

Ho Gakmyung's eyes were filled with questions. Jang Ilso's voice softened.

"What has changed?"

Wrinkles formed on his white forehead.

"It's unimaginable. If they were the same people I knew, they would never have come to Chengdu. Even if they did, they would have dragged everyone, the ones with and without, shedding tears."

"..."

"However, what has changed that allowed for such a move? Did I misunderstand those who call themselves the Heavenly Comrade Alliance?"

Only then did Ho Gakmyung understand what Jang Ilso had said.

It was something too fundamental.

Failure was painful. Rectifying that failure was even more critical. However, looking at it from a long-term perspective, failures and losses were trivial.

What truly mattered was the cause. Understanding why such an incident occurred was crucial to avoid repeating the same mistakes.

"Perhaps they considered the the Tang Family's city more important than expected? Maybe there was something hidden in the Tang Family's compound that we didn't know about, or..."

Jang Ilso remained silent. Unlike his usual self, who would give a sarcastic remark or laugh if Gakmyung's words contradicted his thoughts, the current Jang Ilso was coldly trampling over Gakmyung's words.

Could it be that what Jang Ilso was contemplating and feeling was even more significant than what Ho Gakmyung anticipated?

"Profit. Authority. Stratagem. Disposition."

"..."

"Can such things be explained with those?"

Jang Ilso mumbled slowly.

"Gakmyung-ah."

"Yes, Ryeonju-nim."

"This is my first time."

"What do you mean?"

It was as if scraping iron, a rough voice flowed through Jang Ilso's lips.

"It feels as if someone is playing at the top of my head."

"..."

"When I say my stomach is twisted, I'm talking about something like this."

A dense murderous intent emerged from Jang Ilso's face.

Ho Gakmyung couldn't understand him at all. The Evil Tyrant Alliance achieved a tremendous victory. Even though Chengdu was attacked, the long-term result of the war wouldn't change. The world would both curse and praise Jang Ilso.

Then why was Jang Ilso fixating on a trivial mistake rather than that colossal triumph?

"Haha."

Thud.

At that moment, the armrest of the chair Jang Ilso was holding twisted. Simultaneously, the cloth covering the chair was torn and fluttered in the air.

"It's hard to endure, Gakmyung-ah. Just thinking about that guy laughing at me for being defeated makes me want to slash my stomach with a knife."

"Ryeonju-nim..."

Drip.

A drop of red blood oozed from Jang Ilso's tightly clenched lips.

As the red lips turned even darker, Jang Ilso's gleaming eyes twisted.

"Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword..."

It was vivid. The mocking face of Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword. Those scornful eyes.

"Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword."

A voice filled with hatred flowed out like a sigh.

❀ ❀ ❀

"Hehehe."

"..."

"Hehehehehehe."

"..."

"Heeheeheeheeheehee!"

The people pulling the cart looked at the person who climbed onto the cart with soulless faces.

"Uhuhuhuhu! It sparkles! Glitters! Uhehehehehe! Glitter, glitter!"

Cautiously walking together, the Four Seas Merchant Company's successor Boss Jo Woong carefully asked his younger brother.

"That... sorry, Gol-ah. I heard it once, but just in case, I'll ask again... that person?"

"...Yes, he is."

"No... It's not that I don't trust you, but it's just that... then, that person is?"

"No, you're right. That guy...is the strongest swordsman of the Mount Hua Sect."

At that moment, the Five Swords, who were by Jo Gol's side, weakly opened their mouths and spoke up.

"An absolute expert."

"The Chief Commander of the Heavenly Comrade Alliance."

"The Evil Tyrant Alliance's archnemesis."

Jo Woong's gaze turned again. Chung Myung, sitting on top of the glittering treasures, was now scattering the handfuls of gold coins he had grasped.

"Uhehehehe! It's money! Money! It's a windfall!"

...Jo Woong's hand trembled slightly. That? That human... No, something that was slightly unsettling even to be called a human?

"Is he, by any chance..."

"He's a Taoist, yes."

"...Then, by any chance..."

"Yes, that's how he usually is. He hasn't been injured."

Jo Woong lost his words. The Five Swords glanced up.

"Today, he's in relatively good condition."

"I don't need to say it, but after causing a stir in Chengdu today, it seems like he's comfortable. If I had money as much as him when I got frustrated and lost my temper, I would have been bathing inside there."

"True."

Jo Woong's eyes trembled slightly. Jo Gol shrugged and spoke to his brother.

"Don't worry, hyung-nim."

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

Jo Gol grinned.

"Even though he looks like that, he is more trustworthy than you think."

"Hehehehe!"

"He has a pretty dependable side and is more serious than you might think."

"Hahaha!"

"I'm learning a lot. He's someone you can trust enough to leave your back to. Please keep an eye on him."

"Money! It's money! Glittering money!"

"..."

Transparent tears welled up in Jo Woong's eyes as he looked alternately at the smiling Jo Gol and the glowing Chung Myung.

"Gol-ah..."

What on earth have you been fighting all these years... Jo Woong regretted sending his younger brother to Mount Hua for the first time.